Freedman waits for Everest calls for Stradbroke winner Santa Ana Lane

Anthony Freedman said he would be “leaving his phone on” for slot holders in The Everest after Santa Ana Lane won his third group 1 sprint for the season in the Stradbroke Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

The five-year-old has been a revelation in winning the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Goodwood and Stradbroke, and became the first horse to complete the Goodwood-Stradbroke double.

Inside job: Ben Melham and Santa Ana Lane punch through on the rails to win the Stradbroke Handicap.Credit:AAP

“We knew he was a group 1 horse, but he never showed it. We went to Wagga last year for the Town Plate there and he won it, and it was the switch that turned on in him,” Freedman said.

“He became the horse we always thought we had. He has won three group 1s, and The Everest is the race we are thinking about with him.

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“My phone is on, and I think after doing what he has done he deserves a slot in The Everest.

“The obvious slot would be Inglis, because he is an Inglis horse, so we just have to wait and see what happens in the next couple of weeks.”

Freedman could have two runners in The Everest. His other triple group 1 winner this season, Shoals, is believed to be close to locking in a slot.

"It has been a remarkable season for a small stable, and I'm very proud of both horses," Freedman said.

Jockey Ben Melham believes Santa Ana Lane would be ideally suited at 1200m at Randwick and is keen to get him into the $13 million sprint in October.

“Why not? He has shown in the past couple of wins that he is as good as any sprinter in the country,” Melham said. “The good thing about him is that I can ride him."

Melham missed the ride on Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign in the first Everest because he couldn't make the weight. That will not be a problem on Santa Ana Lane.

Melham was impressed with the turn of foot shown by Santa Ana Lane.

“He has always had that group 1 ability, but now he is showing he can sprint off hot speed,” he said.

Melham chased the ride after Santa Ana Lane was unlucky in the McKay Stakes and it filled Freedman with confidence.

“He just rang me and said 'I want to be on that horse'. I liked that, and you saw the confidence he had in him with that ride,” Freedman said.

It was cracking ride from Melham to have Santa Ana Lane three back on the fence behind favourite Champagne Cuddles. When she went outside to make her run, Melham punched through on the fence.

Santa Ana Lane ($14) sprinted through and went away to win by 1-3/4 lengths with Super Cash ($31) cutting Champagne Cuddles ($5 fav) out of second in a photo.

“I wanted to be on Champagne Cuddles’ back if I could, but I wasn’t sure that he had the speed to do that,” Melham said. "When I landed there I could see how well she was going coming to the turn, but I thought if I got a clear crack at her he would win.

“He showed another weapon by being that close, and he sprinted like he did in the Goodwood.”

Corey Brown thought he was the winner on turn as he pulled Champagne Cuddles to the centre of the track, but she struggled to get traction on the heavy track in the straight.

“She didn’t really handle that track. Every time she went to go she would dip and dive and was spinning her wheels. It happen four or five times,” Brown said.

“She is a group 1 horse and her day will come.”

Trainer Bjorn Baker is hoping that will in the Tatts Tiara in a fortnight time.

“She is going to be very hard to beat back against the fillies and mares,” Baker said. “She went super.”The Goodwood form was once again an outstanding guide to Stradbroke with Super Cash, which was fifth at Morphettville, a gallant runner-up.

“She let down really well but couldn’t match the winner,” Jamie Kah said. “She is in great form.”